We all yearn for it, but no matter how much of it we have, we can never quite get enough! The age-old issue of storage, or lack thereof, drives us into a daily flap and allows a culmination of clutter to slowly (or quickly!) infiltrate our lives. Tripping over toys on the floor, games bulging out of cupboards, storage boxes spilling into living rooms – this is a daily scenario played out in many family homes as the pile of ever-mounting toys rises. And while the cupboards are full and the toy boxes are bulging, Leanne Abrahams from Lily Rose Interiors has uncovered several ways to stylishly manage the mess using beautiful and unique storage ideas.
1. Pack away in gorgeous sacks
Storage has been glammed up in a big way, and you no longer need to hide the plastic toy tubs away in the cupboard. Bring the toys out with gorgeous storage sacks that are designed to be on display, to enhance the room and to create impact, all while keeping toys tucked away. These tough sacks are made of triple ply reinforced paper and many can be customised in copper, charcoal, blush or mint, with hand-drawn grid patterns, ballerinas, Swiss crosses or clouds, and can be effortlessly worked into your child’s space without looking like traditional storage. They look super stylish placed beside the bed or in the corner of the room on a crochet rug, adding bucket-loads of style, colour and fun to your child’s space.
2. Hang toys on the wall
It’s quite annoying tripping over trucks, diggers and dolls as you make your way through the house. And the worst part is, some toys are just too big for the cupboards and take up too much room in a toy box. Wooden wall hooks or knobs make it easy to transfer the mess from the floor to a wall. All you need is wall space and you’ve found a home for that digger, that fire engine or that oversized doll. Hang some wall knobs at your child’s eye level in their room, or in clusters for a fun look. And then simply hook the toy over it for a fun, playful display that keeps those big toys from getting under your feet. Wall hooks come in many cute shapes and colours including stars, geometric shapes, bunny heads, fruit shapes and lighting bolts. Check out Down That Little Lane for some great options.
3. Get wired for storage
You know those painfully teeny-weeny toys that always end up on the floor underneath the couch or dining table? The ones you would love to disappear, but wouldn’t dare throw away? Wire baskets offer the perfect place to store your little one’s favourite knick-knacks quickly, and can be styled to make even the smallest treasures look good. They come in a range of sizes, shapes and colours, and add a boost of colour to your child’s bedroom. Sit them on your child’s bedside table for a hit of texture, tuck them away on the desk for stationary storage, or pop them in the corner of the room for big items like fluffy toys. Adairs and Kmart both have a colourful kids’ range in varying sizes, and others in more sophisticated colours such as copper and silver.
4. Create a fun reading nook
Getting creative with furniture can reinvent your child’s room and create a new opportunity for play. By placing a bench seat against a wall (beneath a window if possible) and in between two bookshelves, you can create a day bed for reading, plus inject loads of storage into the room. Be sure to choose a bench seat that has large drawers or a hinged top so you can fill it with all sorts of items from sporting equipment to large toy trucks. Then fill the shelves with books, toys, baskets of Lego, or trinkets for display. Add a cushioned top to the seat and playful cushions for comfort and, voila!, you’ve created a stylish reading nook that doubles as a great storage unit. Mocka has affordable storage cubes in fun colours you can mix and match to suit your space, as well as toy boxes that could double as a bench seat.
Looking to update your child’s room or for simple storage solutions? Visit Lily Rose Interiors or contact Leanne Abrahams on 0404 467 014. Also, follow her on Instagram.
Do you have any other kids’ storage solutions you’d like to share? Let us know your ideas in the comments section below.
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